It has been known that medical instruments, which are located, e.g., on instrument carriers of traveling and height-adjustable cart systems, can be connected to ceiling-mounted supply units. A mechanical coupling of the instrument to the ceiling-mounted supply unit is brought about via an interface, and the instrument is supplied with electricity and the necessary gases via the ceiling-mounted supply unit.
DE 40 21 013 C2 describes a supply unit with a height-adjustable, vertically oriented connection head, with which a medical instrument can be coupled. A coupling part, which is located at the instrument and is provided with vertical guide surfaces, engages a mounting part present at the connection head in an accurately fitting manner. In the case of an accurately fitting engagement, the electric switching contacts are released such that a suitable height adjustment as well as the setting up of the supply lines to the instrument with the operating media, e.g., electricity and gases, can be performed.
The fact that it is necessary for the user to perform the corresponding setting of the height and to set up the supply lines between the supply unit and the instrument manually, e.g., by plugging in cable and tube connections, in addition to the mechanical coupling operation, proved to be a drawback of the known invention.